Automatic firearm.



L. SGHMEI SSER.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

IAPPLIUATION IILBI) JAN. 2, 1901.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

L. SOHMBISSER.

AUTOMATIC. FIREARM.

.APILIOAJIIOII FILED JAN. 2, 1907.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Mammy s.

L. SGHMEISSER.

AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

APPLIOATION TILED JAN. 2, 1907.

Patented Apr. 26; 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHBBT 3.

I To all it may concern.

UNITED sir-Ares FATE FIG v LOUIS sqnmmssna, or sent, enamauv, .assrenon 'ro mnmrscnn mnrALLwnEN- A "om; 'MASGHINENFABRIK, or nUssnLnoRF-DEaENnonF, GERMANY.

autromarlc museum.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Application filed J'anuary'2, 1907. sem no; 350,460;

Be it known thatI, LoUIs SoHMEIs'snR, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Suhl, Thuringia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Firearms; and I do hereby declare the followin' vt-obe a full, clear, and exact descri tion the invention, such as will enable ot ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand. use the same.- 4

This'invention has reference to improvements in automatic fire-arms.

In firearms which are loaded automatically it is veryimportant 'that thegreatest care be taken that the closing member or breech bolt, which is only brought into its closed position by aspring, cannot be accidentally projected rearward, on vthe discharge, in thedirection of the person using the gun or the like so as to injure him.

Heretofore accidents offthis kind have been best guarded against by. completelyclosing the receiver at Its rear end, so that the movable breech bolt in its rearward movement impinges against the solid rear-endof thereceiver. But, however practical this 511': rangement may appear to be other points of view, it has this defect-that the receiver must be too longjrel'atively to the weight and to the formlqfthe to. reserve a pro er balance,.qr the reech olt must be ma e shorter than would be useful for suitably housing the return spring or the other indispensable mechani m. 'BGSldGS it is known that, in automaticading fire-arms with fixed barrel and without rigid lockin of the breech bolt, certainty of action an the durabilitv of the,.gun are increased if the weight oi the parts which'recoil'on the.

discharge, is increased asfmuchas possible. The main objectsol' the, improvements which constitute this invention are 'to get the necessary weight and the desiredl'ength, t without exceedin .the. limits admissible for :the. length an the of the breech 'bo weight ofthe gun or the like, and, in s ite of that, to limit the recoil of the breech olt in the surest wa and besides, to permit of mounting and ismounting the mechanism of the gun in a-simpler manner than has been trig er mechanism an possible heretofore, and'to reduce considem ably the cost of the complete gun,

My improved fire-arm, which is automatica loaded by the recoil and rovid'ed with a. t' ting barrel, meets, in-al respects the aforesaid requirements, and it is character 5 ized essentially {in that the breech bolt,

which is introduced into the receiver from' the front, is raised with,-and on being raised can be removed from, the receiver whiehis r fgiclly connected to thebarrel. Two forms 0 construct-ion of this'fir'e-arin are shown in the accompanying drawing, in"which:'

Figure 1 is a side -elevation of a pistol with a' magazine situated in front of the tri ger, the stock being partly broken away' an the receiver inits t lted; position showmg the position'assumed by the breech slide on bolt when it is be'in' rem0ved; -Fig.- 2 shows the same pistol, te greater part bemg in vertical section; Fig. 3 shows the breech slide of this pistol as seen from the left side with the parts which are mounted within it; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same part; F1 5 shows a lon itudinal vertical section 0 the same breec slide (with out .the other mechanism) as seen from the left side; 6 is a view of the empty breech slide; mm below; Fig. 7, is a p an view of the receiver dismounted, with the barrel, and thebreech slide displaced 'rear -f ward; Fig. 8 shows an elevation viewed from the left side, the front part. being in vertical section, of a iston having a bolt a ma azine in the stoc said stock being partly roken away; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the upper art of this pistol' Fig. 10 is a plan view 0 the same pistol; ig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 2 withthe breech 0 en;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the "Itclosing lug; and Fig. 13 1s a longitudinal section trough the same.

As shown in Figs. ;1 -and2,- the receiver 1 with which the barrel 2 forms one piece,

is connected to the ,frame 3 containing'the magazine and the trigger mechanism by a hinge pin or a screw 4, in such a manner that the art 1 can be tilted so as to I the breech bolt being mounted wlth all its fittings in the casing 1 downwardly from the ermit of front, and of its being removed in a similar manner, as indicated 1n dotted lines in Fig,

' 1. The receiver 1, which is open to the rear and below throughout its length behind the barrel 2, takes, like a fork, with its two downward projections 6 arranged at its rear end over the frame 3 when the receiver-is closed, and is provided with a transverse slot 1, the term slot being used not as defining an opening of a particular contour, but merel as distinguishing this opening from the ownward and rearward openings to avoid confusion. A locking latch (like those'employed in breech loading rifles) which is arranged on the side of the frame 3 but has not been specially shown in the drawing engageswith its tooth in the notch 7, indicated by dotted lines, when the receiver 1 is closed and securely connects the said receiver with the frame 3 at its rear end while the pin 4 holds them assembled at breech bolt 5 (Figs. 3 to 6) is formed with I side of the said p a bore 9 and a slit 10 which permit of the firing pin'll, its s ring 12, the cap 13 of the return spring an the return sprmg 14 being introduced therein from the front and to have-a bearing against the rear end. The bore of the breech bolt 5 is closed at its front end by an unsymmetrical lug 15 which retains the various arts inc osed therein; one u engages like a bayonet in a recess 8 formed in' the up er front part of the forwardly extendin 0 set portion 8 of one of'the walls of the reech bolt 5 and an aperture is formed in it to allow the point of the firing has an inwar pin, to pass through. The plug ly extending ortion 15" which acts as a journal within the olt as a bearing, and upon which the plug may rotate as an axis. When turned with its greatest diameter horizontal, the plu can be inserted within or removed from t e open end of the' bolt, but when given a half-turn, it will at its greatest diameter 15 take into the recess 8 and after the. manner of a bayonet be locked against longitudinal movement by the recess, and, whenthe extractor 16 is in place, will be locked against rotation. The extractor 16' rests in a groove 17 formed in the bolt 5 and in the oove 15 of the plug 15, and, being confine therein by the walls of the receiver, efi'ectually precludes-relative rotation of thebreech bolt and plug while 'or unscrew an bolt 5 being mounted and dismounted from the frontprevents any of the members of this mechanism ever leaving their housing rearward on the discharge, and it has this further advantage that itpermits of the breech slide withall its mechanism being removed from the receiver 1 through the slot 1, but only after the receiver has been tilted and without having first to dismount, slacken other part. If, after the introduction 'of-the breech bolt'5 with its mechanism into the interior chamber of the receiver 1, through the slot 1, thesaid receiver is turned down to its closed position,

the heel 19 of the spring cap 13 which pro jects downward from the breech bolt,enters a corresponding groove or notch in the frame 3 (Fig. 22

figure) o the locking latch then engages in the notch 7 of the projection 6 of the receiver 1 and couples this latter with the frame 3 in such a manner that the breech, bolt 5 is slidably housed between the two parts 1 and 3% if they formed a single integral piece. The hee 19 of the cap 13 of the return spring then bears against a pin 21 which en ages in the notch 20in its rear face, the sai pm being mounted transversely in the frame 3. In this manner the breech bolt 5 is held pressed toward the front agiiinst the barrel by the return spring 14 ich bears at its rear end against its cap 13 and at its front end against the breech plug 15 which is locked with the breech bolt 5. Into the longitudinal slit 10 in the lower part of the breech bolt 5, in which the heel 1 9 of the spring cap 13 slides, the beak 22 of the ejector (Figs. 1 and 2) which is arranged on the frame 3, enters. The lug 15 is similarly slotted below to allow t e beak.

22'of the ejector to ass through and to encounter the base of't e cartridge case on the recoil of the breech slide. slide is forced back under the action of the explosion, or is drawn rearward by hand by a pull upon its offset portion 8 which is corrugated exteriorly to enable it to be and the tooth (not visible in this 1 When the breech gripped and pr 'ects from the receiver 1' o throu h slot 1, t e said breech slide on being re eased or when the effect of the reaction of the gases generated by the explosion ceases,

springs sharply back a ain into'its closed position. The working 1s otherwise similar to that in the known automatic-loading firearms and need not therefore be particularly described seeing that the construction of the trigger mechanism and of the magazine do not form any partof this invention.

In view 'of the different opinions held as to whether an automatic-loading pistol with,

casing around the barrel instead of within the breech bolt.

In this construction, the receiver 1 is connected with the frame 3 by a hinged pin exactly as already described, and the connection of the two parts at the rear has been shown by way of example as being accomplished by means of a spring bolt 23. The receiver 1 in this case extends up to the mouth of the barrel 2 and'is bored out at its front part so as to enable the return spring 14 to be mounted around the barrel and at the same time to receive the cap 13, of the return spring against which the front end of the said spring bears while its rear end finds a bearing against the rear end ofthe receiver 1. The breech slide comprises here the breech bolt 5, and a forwardly extending parallel ofi'set portion 5 connected by the offset 8, the portion 5 extending to the mouth of the barrel and acting as a breech guide. At its front end there is a beak 24 which projects into the casing 1 and takes over the front end of the cap 13 of the return spring.

.The receiver 1 is slitted at its upper part at the .front, at' 25,' in the direction of its length, in such a manner that the beak 24: of the breech slide can move therein when the said breech slide recoils rearward. The breech slide is guided here by the barrel and between the parts 1 and 3, and its rearward movement is limited in exactly the same manner as in the first form of construction by the offset '8 engaging the rear Wall of the slot 1. As the return spring.14c bears with its rear end against the receiver 1 and with its front'end against the cap 13 which is arranged behind the beak 24 011 the front end 'of the .breech slide, the breech bolt 5is here also held under tension against the rear end of thebarrel by the spring 14 in such a manner that the action of the mechanism in 1 question is exactly the same as that of the corresponding mechanism J already described with reference to Fig. 1.

The empty cartridges are ejected through an aperture. QGfor-med in the barrel guide portion 5 of the breech slide, which aperture comes into proper position for the eje'c tion during the recoil of the breech slide.

This ejection aperture may, ifdesired, be formed'laterally in the receiver 1 in such a manner that the ejection, in place of being upward, is toward one side: in this case .the aperture 26 in the-breech. bolt 5 is formed in the side of the receiver.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, is

1.- In an automatiofire-arm, the combination, with the trigger mechanism, the barrel, and a receiver havin an interior chamber with an opening in its wall, of a breechslidecomprising a breech-bolt mounted to recoil within the chamber, the size of the opening being suflicient to enable the bolt to be swung transversely of the chamber and mounte'd'and dismounted through said 0 ening, the breech-bolt being removable rom the receiver only when the fire-arm is in an inoperative condition.

2. In an automatic fire-arm, the combination, with the trigger mechanism, the barrel, and a receiver having an interior chamber with oppositely disposed elongated openings .1n its wall, of a breech-slide comprising a breech-bolt mounted to recoil within. the

.clialnber, the size of the openings being suflicient to enable the bolt to be swung transverselyof ,the chamber and mounted and dismounted through said openings, and means releasable only when the fire-arm is in an inoperative condition to prevent the movement of the bolt to an angular position in the chamber and openings. 3. In an automatic fire-arm, the combination, with the trigger mechanism, the barrel, and a tilting receiver having an interior chamber open to the rear and with oppositely disposed openings in its wall, of a breech slide comprising a breech-bolt mounted to recoil ,within the chamber and through the open rear end thereof, the size of the 'openings being suflicient to enable the bolt to be swung transversely of the chamber and mounted and dismounted through said open ings, and means toprevent the movementof the bolt to an angular position in the chamher and openings except when the receiver is tilted. a j

4. In anautomatic fire-arm, the combina-v tion, with the trigger mechanism, the barrel, and a tilting receiver having an interior chamber open to the rear and with elongated openings in its upper and lower wall, of a breech slide comprising a breech-bolt mount ed to recoil within. thechamber and through the-open rear end thereof, and an integral off-set portion projecting into I the upper elongated opening and limited in its range'i-I Q- of recoil by the rear wallof said opening; the size of the elon 'ated openings being sufiicient to enable tie bolt to be swung transversely (of the chamber and mounted and dismounted through the said openings, and means to close the lower opening when the fire-arm is in an operative condition to prevent the movementof the belt to an angular position in the chamber and openings when the arm' is in condition to be fired.

, tion, with the frame, the trigger mechanism,

- with an interior chamber coaxial with the barrel and with, an elongated opening in its,

the barrel, and a tilting receiver provided wall, of a breech-slide comprisln a breechbolt arranged to reciprocate wit in the interior chamber, and an off-set portion extending into the opening, the breech-bolt limited in its recoil by the impinging of the off-set against the-rear wall of the opening and confined within the receiver when closed and through the rear end thereof, and an off-set portion extending into the opening, the breech-bolt limited in its recoil by the impinging ofthe off-set against the rear wall of the opening and confined within the chamber when the receiver is closed by the frame and removable through the opening when the receiver is tilted.

7. 'In an automatic fire arm, the combination with the frame, the trigger mechanism,

a tilting barrel hinged to t e frame, and a receiver tilting with the barrel and provided with an interior chamber open to the rear and below and with an elongated opening to the outside, of a breech slide comprising a breech bolt arranged to recoil within the chamber and through the rear end thereof beyond the rearmostpart of the receiver, and an ofl'setportion extending into the opening, therecoil'of the breech bolt limited by the impinging of the offset against the rear wall of the opening, the width of the openin being greater than that of the breech bo t to enab e the bolt to be swung transversely of the receiver and mounted and dismounted throughthe opening when the receiver is tilted, and means to secure the receiver to' the frame in itsclosed position to confine the bolt and prevent, the accidental assumption 'by-the bolt of a transverse position.

8. In an automatic fi-re arm. of the kind described, the combination, with a frame, a trigger mechanism, and a magazine, of a tilting receiver, a barrel rigidly connected with this receiver, means for hingedly connecting the said receiver to the fore end of the frame of the fire-arm, means for locking 5. In an automatic fire-arm, the combinaw the said receiver to the said frame at its rear end, an upper opening in the said receiver, a breech bolt adapted to be inserted into the said receiver from the top through the said openin when the receiver is tilted and at other times confined within the casin and means for preventing the said breec bolt from being projected rearward from the said receiver. 7 v a 9. In an automatic fire-armof the kind described,the combination, with a suitable frame, a trigger mechanism, and ,a magazine, of a tiltlng receiver, a barrel rigidly se cured to this receiver, a pivot pin hingedly connecting the said receiver to the fore end of the frame of the fire arm, downward projections arranged on the rear end of the said tilting receiver and adapted'to engage the said frame, means provided in said frame for positively locking the said downward projections in the said frame, an upper openmg in the said tilting receiver at the rear of the barrel and at some distance from the rear end of the receiver, a breech bolt adapted to be inserted from the top and from the front through the said opening when the re ceiver is raised and confined to reciprocate in the said recelver when the latter is closed,

a massive front part provided on the said breech bolt and projecting therefrom andfrom the tilting receiver, this part being adapted to impinge against the rear part of the receiver, and a firing pin, and ejecting and return s ring mechanism arranged in the said breec bolt.-

10. In an automatic. fire-arm of the kind described, the combination, with a suitable frame, a tri ger mechanism, and a magazine, of a tilting receiver open at its rear end and provided with an up er, opening, a barrel rigidly connected wit the said receiver, means for hingedly connecting the latter to the fore end of the frame, means for locking the two parts together at their rear end, a breech bolt adapted to slide in the said receiver and to be inserted inthe latter when tilted from the front through the said opening and at other times confined within the receiver, a projecting massivefront art on the said breech bolt, a slit in the un er side of the latter, an ejecting beak arranged on the said frame and adapted to slide in the said 'slit, a firing pi'n,'and ejecting and return spring mechanism arranged in the said breech bolt.'

11. In a. fire-arm, the combination, with the frame, the barrel, thetrigger mechanism, and the receiver, of a hollow breech-bolt mounted to reciprocate in the rebeiver, said bolthaving lateral and rear end walls and open to the front, a'removable plug to close the front end of the bolt, means to lock, the 'plug against removal while 'the'bolt is in the receiver, a firingin mounted to recipe roate within the b0 t, the firing-pin and" esame trigger mechanism arranged in operative relation to each other, a return spring housed in the said breech-bolt and bearing at one end against the said plug, a cap arranged to receive the rear end of the return spring, and means to hold the said cap stationary during the reciprocation of the breech-bolt. 12. In a fire-arm, the combination, with the frame, the barrel, the trigger mechanism, and the receiver, of a'hollow breechbolt mounted to reciprocate within the receiver, said bolt having lateral and rear end walls and open to the front, a.- removable plug to close the front'end of thebolt, a bayonet joint connecting the plug and bolt, an extractor confined by the wall of the receiver in a groove in the side of the bolt and plug to prevent rotation to release the joint when the bolt is in the receiver, and a firing-pin mounted to' reciprocate within the bolt and guided by perforations in the rear end wall thereof and in the plug, the firing-' pin and trigger mechanism arranged in operative relation to each other. V,

13. In a fire-arm, the combination, witl the frame, the barrel, the trigger mechanism,

and the receiver, of a hollow breech-bolt mounted to reciprocate within the receiver,

said bolt having lateral and rear end walls and open to the front, a removable plug to close the front end of the bolt and connected therewith by a bayonet joint, an extractor confined in a groove in the side of the bolt and plug to prevent rotation torelease the joint when the bolt is in the receiver, anda firing-pin mounted to reciprocate within the bolt and guided by perforations in the rear end wall thereof and in the plug, a return spring housed in the said breech-bolt and hearing at one end against the said plug, a cap arranged to receive the rear end of the return spring, and means to hold the said,

cap stationary during the reciprocation of the breech-bolt.

14. In a'fire-arm, thevcombination, with the frame, the barrel, the trigger mechanism, and the receiver, of a hollow breech-boltmounted to reciprocate within the receiver, said bolt having lateral and rear end walls and open to the front, a removable plug to close the front end of the bolt, a bayonet joint connectin the plug'arfd bolt, an extractor confine in the groove in the side of i gthe boltand plug to prevent rotation to release the joint when the bolt is in the receiver, and a firin -pin mounted to reciprocate within the b0 t and guided by perforations in the rear end wall thereof'and in the plug, a return spring housed in the said reech-bolt and hearing at one end against the said plug, a cap arranged to receive the the receiver adapted to receive the heel,

means for preventingmotion of the heel, an extractor spring arranged on thesaid breech bolt, and an ejector beak arranged on the frame to slide in the slit in the breech bolt.

15. In a firearm, the combination, with the receiver, of a hollow breech bolt mounted to reciprocate within the receiver and open at one end, a portable unsynnnetrical plug mounted in the opening of the bolt, a

portion of the bolt extending beyond its open end and providedwith a recess opposite the plug, the edge of the plug at its greater radius engaging within the recess when in one position to secure the plug against removal from the bolt opening, an the plug when partially rotated clearing the recess to permitits removal from the bolt 6 open1ng, and means to prevent relativerotation of the plug and bolt when within the receiver. I 16. In a firearm, the combination, wvith the receiver, of a hollow breech bolt mounted to reciprocate within the receiver, said bolt having lateral and rear walls and open to the front, a rotatable unsymmetrical plug mounted in the bolt opening, a portion of the bolt extending beyond its open end and the bolt .is

provided with a recess opposite the plug, the

edge of the plug at its greater radius engaging within the recess in one secure the plug against remova from the bolt'opening, and the plu tated to permlt its removal from the opening, and an extractor confined in a groove in the side of the bolt and plug by the walls of the-receiver to prevent rotation of the pl when the bolt 1s within the receiver.

I? In an automatic fire-arm of the kind described,t -he combination, with a suitable frame, trigger mechanism, and magazine, of a tilting receiver hingedly connected at its fore end to the said frame, means for locking the rear end of the receiver to the said frame, an upper slot in the said receiver,

a hollowlbreech bolt adapted to slide in the said receiver and confined therein when looked, a stop on the fore end of the said breech bolt, a slit in the under side of the latter, a closing plug closing the front end of the said breech bolt, a firing pin in the said breech bolt and guided in the said closing plug and the rear wall of the breech bolt, a return spring housed in the said breech bolt and bearing at one, endagainst the said closing plug, a cap adaptedto receive the rear end of the return spring, and means for holdingthe said cap stationary during the reciprocating motion of the breech bolt.

18. In an automatic fire-arm 'of the kind described, the combination, witha suitable frame, trigger mechanism, and magazine, of a tilting receiver hingedly connected at its 1 fore end to the said frame, means for looking the rear" end of the receiver to the said osition to at its smaller radius clearing the recess w en partially rosaid receiver and confined therein when looked, a stop on the fore end of the said breech'bolt, a slit in the under side of ,the latter, a closing plug closing the front end of the said breechrbolt, a firing pin the said breech bolt and guided in the said closing plug and the rear wall of the breech bolt, a return spring housed in the said breech bolt and bearing at one end against the said closing plu ,-a cap adapted to receive 'the rear end 0 the return spring, a heel provided on the said cap and assing through the said slit of the breech be t, a suitable re-' cess in the said receiver adapted to receive the said heel,.means for preventing motion of the latter, an' extractor spring arranged on the said breech bolt, and an e ector beak arranged on the upper side of the said frame and adapted to slide in the lower slit of the breech bolt. p 4

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

LOUIS SGHMEISSER.

Witnesses:

' PAUL TEICHMANN, -Fnrrz SoHNnLL. 

